Monday, April 1, 2013

Analog Science Fact -> Science Fiction, March 1964



This issue has only three stories as a serial takes a lot space. A pretty average issue.

The Pie-Duddle Puddle • shortstory by Leigh Richmond and Walt Richmond
A lazy creature manages to solve a problem. There was a slight twist in the story. The reader was probably supposed to think that the protagonist is a child or an extremely lazy person, but he turns out to be a cat. What a surprise, while I was reading the story I thought that the protagonist would turn out to be a dog. **½
Outward Bound • novelette by Norman Spinrad
Earth governs an interstellar union of planets. All space travel happens by sublight speed and hibernation techniques are used for decades lasting journeys between stars. But it appears that one man has discovered the mathematical basis for ftl-drive. The earth forces are chasing him as the discovery would destroy Earth's edge for the new inventions and technologies and earth's influence would disappear. Excuse me? I would imagine the result would be exactly the opposite. In spite of that totally brainless premise, the story was pretty readable and entertaining. ***+
Third Alternative • novelette by Robin Scott Wilson [as by Robin Scott ]
A time traveler is facing a choice: either he continues to work as an operative time traveler and must spend months of his time during one working day or his must take a managerial position with better benefits and lose the thrill of journeying to the past. But there is a third alternative...which isn't too surprising. There is one interesting point, however. In the first paragraph it is stated that the protagonist has a "sterility certificate". In the last paragraph his is planning to have children. Writing was ok, standard fare without any surprises. ***+

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